Scientology salutes ‘humanitarian’ couple for donating $33.8 million to building fund

 
Just last week we showed you evidence from Scientology’s own publications that big donors are still turning over huge amounts to church leader David Miscavige’s legal slush fund, the International Association of Scientologists.

For forking over $21 million to the IAS, Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, took home another huge trophy and a photo of herself with Miscavige, and she called it “the most beautiful acknowledgment I have ever received in my entire life.”

Also included in that parade of whales who took home trophies at the New Year’s event in Clearwater, Florida were Steve and Peggy Fabos, who achieved the status of “Patron Laureate with Honors,” indicating that their giving to the IAS has reached $11 million.

But we cautioned you that these wealthy marks are also hit up for cash in other ways, and today we have a pretty stunning example of it.

We’ve received a copy of a promotional flier sent out by Scientology that we are posting here for its newsworthiness as a “Fair Use” exception to copyright law.

The flier indicates that Steve and Peggy Fabos — lauded as “The Fabos Factor” in other promotional materials — have reached “338 Humanitarians” in giving to another Scientology initiative, its “Ideal Org” program that builds and renovates new cathedrals for the organization around the world.

In Scientology, you are called a “humanitarian” if you donate $100,000 to this building effort. So that means that Steve and Peggy have now reached the astounding mark of $33.8 million in donations for Ideal Orgs, tripling what they’ve given to the IAS.

We can’t think of a better illustration of this idea that wealthy Scientologists are hit up for cheddar in a number of different ways.

 
So, hip, hip, hooray for Steve and Peggy.

And as for some idea why this couple have come on so strong with their donations in just the last few years, please see our earlier reporting about Steve’s son, Shaun Fabos, who testified in the first Danny Masterson criminal trial.

 
Speaking of the Masterson matter, we’re back on verdict watch this morning at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles. Today is Day Four of deliberations at the Masterson retrial, and we’ll be waiting to see if the jury has additional questions or whether it can come up with a solution today.

Also, we will be asking the court this morning to clarify something: If the jury can’t reach verdicts today, the original trial schedule had a half day planned for tomorrow, and a full day off for Wednesday. Will that still hold now that we’re in deliberations? We’ll try to find out.

Watch your inboxes for our reports from the courthouse!

 
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Technology Cocktail

“Running Help is necessary on a case that is hung up, because the only reason he is sitting there is to “waste” help. You can run such a case on any process, no matter how excellent, on a basis of “wasting help” until the case simply cannot find enough ways to waste help and he goes down the tone scale.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1958

 
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THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON

We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.

 
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THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?

[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH

— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see

[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf

— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond

[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney

 
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Source Code

“I could read in this life when I was about three and a half years old. And then I went to school and they kept insisting that I learn how to read. And you know, I never learned how to read in school. I could read, only nobody ever heard that…You can read so then if anybody tries to teach you how to read and you won’t learn how to read and you can read, why nobody ever finds out about that. See? So you’ve had it. So, let’s say we were teaching a course on how to be a rocket jockey. How to fly a Mark 14 interplanetary scout ship. See, and we’re running a course on this. And we’ve got somebody and they had Mark 18s in their system and he knows all about flying one of these things, you know. Well, that’s fine you know. Here’s this, here’s that, and the instructor keeps saying, ‘Now just a minute. Hold it down now. Now, that is your circumlocutor.’ And the fellow says, ‘Yes, I know. And you pull it like this, and you go like this, and so forth; and it’s for vertical takeoff, see. Yeah, well now, what I do want to know is, you’ve got a couple of dials here that were taken off the later?’ And the instructor says, ‘Now just a minute, just a minute, that’s the circumlocutor.’ See. That guy has a hell of a time, see.” — L. Ron Hubbard, May 22, 1962

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“Annabelle Buchanan is ordered back to the FSO Service Dept to properly turn over her desserts hat and regain the standard. This will assist already improved meals.” — The Commodore, May 22, 1971

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Overheard in the FreeZone

“I was living with an OT 2 and well I don’t have the label of being an OT because they never let me attest to it. So he assumes I have no power at all. But I can make the weather go the way I want, so the weather will follow me. If more people took more responsibility for the weather and learned how to manage like the buddhas in Thailand, you would get a more balanced game to play. These people are taking alien tech and using it to hurt us and create famine. If you had the ability to control the weather they wouldn’t be able to do this. I am keeping the weather going fine over here. You have a responsibility to handle your own area just like I do. If I were able to see outside this body I could handle it all. But I don’t, so maybe some others should get in there and learn it and take some responsibility themselves.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1995: Cyberlaw, an electronic newsletter by attorney Jonathan Rosenoer, published a summary of the legal arguments involved in the suits against Dennis, Tom and Netcom. This is good publicity, even no evaluation is made on the arguments of the case. Cyberlaw quotes Netcom’s filings: “‘[Scientology is] seeking to obtain an order from this Court that has never previously been granted by a court, or to defendant NETCOM’s knowledge, ever even requested of a court. [Scientology demands] an unprecedented extension of [copyright] infringement liability that, if recognized by this Court, would impact each of the estimated 36 million users of the Internet.’ If granted, says Netcom, the requested relief ‘will fundamentally alter the functioning of the world’s largest electronic public library and potentially expose each of its millions of users to unlimited tort liability.'”

 
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Random Howdy

“I was attacked by an angry goose once. I still have that engram.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Mistrial declared November 30. Retrial scheduled, jury selection begins March 29. Next pretrial hearing: Feb 16.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Next pretrial hearing Feb 13.
— Rizza Islam, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for March 1 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next status conference Feb 13.

Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Complaint filed April 28 in Tampa federal court, Scientology moving to compel arbitration. Plaintiffs filed amended complaint on August 2. Hearing November 17 to argue the arbitration motions, awaiting ruling.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Selection of arbitrators underway. Next court hearing: March 15, 2023.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Appellate court removes requirement of arbitration on January 19, case remanded back to Superior Court. Stay in place at least through February 7.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: New trial ordered after appeals court overturned prior ruling.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Lawsuit filed by the FTC and state of Georgia in August, now in discovery phase.

 
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SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.

LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH

An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.

SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z

Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

 
Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] When Scientology says it will ‘Clear the Planet,’ here’s what it means
[TWO years ago] Holy Xenu, even we didn’t expect Scientology to be this big in Danny Masterson’s hearing
[THREE years ago] Even more filmmakers who are helping out Scientology with its TV network
[FOUR years ago] Scientology loses a whale: Major donor Michael Baybak dead at 77
[FIVE years ago] Jack Parsons is getting his star-turn next month, but we’ll have to wait for L. Ron Hubbard
[SIX years ago] Google helps Scientology censor two more of our stories — maybe you can help us figure out why
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology makes you a god who can heal this horse just with your finger
[EIGHT years ago] DOX: How Scientology ensnares the unsuspecting in a series of binding contracts
[NINE years ago] Scientology Hip Hop: Is there anything better in the world?
[TEN years ago] Meet Dennis Nobbe, Miami Chiropractor and Scientologist!
[ELEVEN years ago] L. Ron Hubbard in his Own Words: Mr. Charisma?

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on May 22, 2023 at 07:00

E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.

Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.

The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2022 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2022), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ

Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…

Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.

Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele

 

Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone